TLmeister

Hi Folks, new here in the TL forum and first post (been in the TSX forum for awhile) I was all set to buy a 2006 TSX this coming spring but now my wife threw me a curve ball, she is now interested in the 2006 TL and it got me thinking a lot (at least I'm staying with the Acura family). What are your thoughts about the TL? and which car do you prefer TSX or TL?

aw1

Well it depend on your family needs. I bought my 05 TL because it was bigger which is very important. Recently got married and hoping to start a family in a year or two. Good Luck with your decision. Drove my friends TSX and handles better compared to my TL.

b15turbo

well i had 04 tsx for about a year now i have the tl, Tsx is more sporty and smaller, but i dont know i would pick the tl over the tsx anyday, TL is so much better in everything, i love it

TorontoR

Almost bought a TSX as well, but with a one year old baby, TL was the better choice. Like someone said above, all about priorities. Other thing you may want to consider is the fact that there are so many TSX's on the road vs. the TL. Far too many here in Toronto where they are amost as common as civics.

tmitch2315

I have had a TL auto since 04 and have driven the TSX only as a loner. Find the TL much more solid and responsive than the standard auto TSX. Like the size of the TL better. Drive both for a full day if possiple and you will feel and see the difference, then pick what fits you. Much different cars.

xtin

I went to the dealer wanting to buy a beautiful artic blue TSX but when I got there, the dealer wanted me to test drive both the TSX and the TL and the TL handled SO much stronger for me and was a LOT less bumpy. Also, my sisterin law has a 05 TSX and a 3 year old and its hard to get him in and out with the carseat etc. the TSX is a lot smaller interiorly it seems than the TL.

I also like the V6 on the TL VS 4 CYLINDER TSX.

vp911

I owned a 04 TSX for a year, 05 TL for 6 months and 05 RL for 6 months. If you want the car for sportyness the TSX. If you want more luxury and still sport get the TL. The TSX is more fun to drive and it handles better than the TL, but the TL has a much nicer interior overall. It comes down to what you need - space and luxury or sport sedan. TSX is also going to get better gas mileage. I averaged 32-33mpg with a 50/50 mix of city/hwy with the TSX and 24mpg with the TL.

TLmeister

Yeah that's one thing I need to do is to test drive both vehicles. So far I have only sat, inspected the exterior and interior of both cars. The clincher will be the test drive whichever I chose at least it will be in the Acura family. Although the exterior and instrumentation layout on the TSX is much more attractive to me. Wish me luck!!

gurneyeagle

Interesting question - Luxury vs. Sportiness

If you like light, nimble cars, go with the TSX. If on the other hand, you want a more solid feel, go with the TL.

I was torn between the two as well. Having "grown-up with Civics - Preludes - RX-7's, I always felt my previous CL Type-S was a little heavy.

It all comes down to personal preferences. If you plan on starting a family soon, by the time the difference in interior space really becomes an issue, you will probably be ready to buy a new car anyway.

Isn't the difference in price something like $6,000? That's a lot of tacos!

gurney

SebringSilver

Bear in mind also that if some of your initial hesitation in considering a TL is because of the perceived handling superiority of the TSX, the TL's handling can be markedly improved by opting for the A-Spec package, or by installing any one of a number of aftermarket suspension kits.

Happy shopping.

Brettg

While good for the price, I thought the tsx was wimpy with 200hp, even with the
manaul transmission.
Noisy also.

Otherwise, I liked the car, just wish they had another motor in it.
You have to rev the 4 cylinders guts out to get any power out of it at all, like they stuck a motorcycle motor in it....

Brett

1gokart

I was in your boat last month. I went in to check out the TSX but ended up buying a TL. You have to also consider price because it's a good 5K difference. If you can afford it I would totally say get the TL. More power, larger interior, better ride, and newer technologies (love the 5.1 surround sound). The TSX is sportier as far as handling but the you can't beat a V6. It's so much smoother. Also if you can find a left over 05 model you can get it for less than $30K compare to an 06 TSX for $27K. The only gripe I have with my TL is that is does have a lot of torque steer problem. If only they made the TL in rear wheel drive, that would solve that problem and make it a lot sportier.

subinf

As with many others that have posted, I was looking at both the TL and the TSX. Ultimately the deciding factor was the size and power for the TL. I did appreciate the nimbleness of the TSX but the overall size of the TL drew me away from the TSX. I plan on having my TL for a long time and overall I will benefit more from the larger size. I do like the 6cyl as well.

kw1k

I agree with everyone else on this topic...TL is just a better car...And is the TSX really 4cyl? Do they not have a 6cyl? Sorry I'm not into the TSX so I dont know much about it..-_-

Ken1997TL

I thought about getting a TSX.. but I appreciated the torque my '97 and '03 TLs had.. and I knew I would miss it. The MPG penalty isnt very much and the interior room was what really finalized it.

I dont need canyon carving handling, the '05 TL we have is just fine

XtraKrispy

I would vote for the TL. More legroom (especially in the back) and more HP. The TSX is a great car but I needed(wanted) more room.

stiletto

this is a trick question, right?

CL Platano

I think the TSX is not worth it's cost in my opinion. The car is beautiful and handles well but with a 25K+ price tag and only 200hp it aint worth it. To me the TSX is Acura's version of the BMW 323 all looks and large price tag.The TL is not that far behind in handling and the interior is just as immaculate. To me the TL is worth every penny

TLmeister

No trick question....just wanted to get some feedback/opinion and trying to decide which car I would choose. I posted the same question also in the TSX forum both cars have pros and cons, ultimately the decision will come after I test drive both cars. Appreciate your responses....keep em' coming.

a_bu_lo

My friend drives a TSX, I drive a Tl. We go to school together everyday.
And every time we start the engine. TSX crank for1.5 sec and doesn't have that powerful deep sounds. Whereas when I start the engine, takes about 0.5 sec(I dunno if this is normal), I often just turn the key and release quickly, no need to hold it more than 0.5 sec. And the deep grrrrooowwwn sound comes right up.
Have the TSX and TL park beside each other, then you can feel the big difference in engine at start up
That is just for powertrain.
But as for equipments. TSX and TL, they are pretty much the same. Both carry bluetooth and navagation, except for the DVD-audio. If you don't really care about power that much. Go for TSX.

TorontoR

Pose this question over at the TSX forum as well!

pzero23

get both if you can but the TL is bigger and you'll get more use out of it.

ninjamyst

Kind of funny how he posted this in the TSX forum and everyone said TSX. And here on the TL forum, everyone said TL.

I am in the same position except I have almost a year to think about it. Interior space isn't that important to me. I am more concerned about the price and interior looks/feel. I like the TSX instrument panel dash but think the center console is bland. The TL has a much nicer center console but no aux jack. I am planning to either getting a new 2006 TSX w/ Navi (to offset the ugly center console) next fall or go for a 2005 used TL w/o Navi (to offset the price). I think both are good choices base on my priorities.

JustinZ

during the holiday season, the TL was actually cheaper to lease than the TSX

invincible569

How many GF's have you had this yr?

randath

I own an 04 TL and love it. My wife owns an 05 TSX and loves it. To each their own. I'm 6'4" and cannot get comfortable in the TSX. The TL has loads of room. The TSX is sportier (tighter steering and suspension). The TL has 270 Hp and it does love gas. The TSX has 200 HP and .......loves almost as much gas and it also moves pretty well.

As others said....priorities.

Oh yeah, and the dealer told my wife "The TSX is the perfect women's car" I think that's why she bought it.

karen

TAKE IT FROM ME, BUY THE ONE THAT SHE LIKES THE BEST! IF YOU BUY THE TSX AND SHE HAS HER HEART SET ON THE TL, SHE WONT BE HAPPY, AND NEITHER WILL YOU! I MUCH PREFER THE TL, BUT I LET HER DECIDE AFTER A TEST DRIVE. IF NOT THE TL, I WOULD GO TO HONDA AND DRIVE THE ACCORD EX V6, IT'S PRICED SIMILAR TO THE TSX, BUT SO MUCH LIKE THE TL! HOPE I HELPED!

gurneyeagle

Very wise advice!

Remember the old saying - "If Mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy!"

Ken1997TL

Strange, I dont see it that way. The TSX is more of a "Driver's Car" to me.

meathead

i've had the tsx as a loaner a few times, imo no comparison to the tl, but it comes down to preference and what you can afford. The TL is way more comfortable, there's no dobut. I'm not sure where this sportiness thing is coming from either, the TL seems a lot faster as well.

vp911

The TL is much faster - 258HP V6 vs 20x V4. Of course there is a speed difference. Sporty factor? The TSX is smaller, more nimble, you can toss it around. That is what happens with smaller cars.

jginnane

My 2 bits, too ...

We had a 2004 TSX for 25,000 miles. I loved the handling, and we had to buy a radar detector because the car liked to zoom up to 80mph between stoplights.

My wife wanted the bigger engine... so we now have 17,000 miles on an '05 TL. The TL is only about a hundred pounds heavier, but has ~30% more horsepower. That is not insignificant -- you don't need to plan your passing moves so far in advance.

It has grown on me, but the handling on the TL is like almost every other FWD 6-cylinder car I've driven, just a little more powerful. The TL's leather is a better grade than the TSX, but the Ohio manufacture of the TL #or# the design seem to allow for more squeaks 'n' creaks than the Japanese-built TSX. The TSX is sold around the world as the "Honda Accord"... except in this country, where the American Honda Accord is (also) built in Ohio.

You may have better luck negotiating on the TL, keeping in mind that it lists for $5K more.

If you have a lot of tape cassettes you want to listen to (for some odd reason), the TL still has a cassette player in the dash, but on the TSX it's an add-on. More realistically, both have good stock audio systems, and I think both are just getting the ability to link an Ipod. Though burned audio CDs work fine in both cars.

Will Y.

I was initially interested in the 6-sp TSX, but my wife wanted an automatic transmission, so I ended up with the TL and both of us are thrilled. The auto TSX is a minor improvement over a V6 Camry in feel and speed.
The 6-speed TSX is faster than the auto TSX, responds more quickly and feels much smaller and more tossable than a TL. The TSX is a smaller, neat package.
The auto-TL feels more substantial and is much faster than the TSX due to more HP in a decently-tuned chassis (unlike Camry, etc.), which I happily accepted only because of my spouse's preferences.
As some above have pointed out, it's often wise to listen to the spouse, especially if you don't like to sleep on the sofa!
Good luck!

fiya

I had an 04 TSX for nearly two years, great car to drive, handled well. Stepped up to a TL, never looked back. Go for the TL...

TLmeister

I contacted the dealership (Jody Wilkinson @ SLC) and have an appointment to do a test drive both models - TL and TSX. So after looking and inspecting the car on my initial visit, the next phase will be the test drive this coming Friday. The test drive may be the final factor that may sway me to decide which car I would purchase. Initially I was leaning toward the TSX but after doing a lot of reading on the feedbacks you guys/gals provided here as well as reviews on Edmunds and MSN auto but now its dead even. I'm planning to purchase on the last week of March so wish me luck and I will surely provide my feedback after test drive....looking forward to it.

viffer

I've had an 04 TL 6MT for just over two years. Lots of power and luxury. I looked at the TSX too back then. It was a hard choice - I went for the power and the toys. Yesterday, I did a trade for an 06 TSX 6MT. I found the feel of the TL to be too big and heavy. I like the nimbleness of the TSX and the fact that you have to row through the gears to make it go. Torque steer on uneven pavement with hard acceleration was alway a little disconcerting. But it comes down to priorities and personal preferences. They are both nice cars.

morninglight

if you go with the tsx ..... get a used artic blue..... they no longer make artic blue right? it is so fucking sweet! personally i love its door handles, but i do love my tl!

leedogg

I wish the TL had door handles with silver highlights but other than that, I have no regrets

kennyc

When I got my TL last November, my dealer has 30+ TL on the lot and just 1 TSX. Needless to say they are more willing give me a better deal on a TL than the TSX.

When it comes down to size and power vs. price difference TL is very hard to beat.

kennyc

hmm.... that could be a pretty cool mod. since the handle/lock cover should come pre-painted.